Association between physical fitness and psychological distress among Brazilian armed force personnel

Previous research suggests that physical fitness moderates the adverse effects of stressful life events. However, the relation between fitness and psychological distress needs to be explored, especially in armed force personnel. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical fitness and psychological distress among Brazilian armed force personnel. In this cross-sectional study, we measured physical fitness and psychological distress of 1252 subjects, using, respectively, field tests and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). After adjusting for confounders, statistically significant direct associations (p 0.05) association was found for the non-operational group. Low levels of physical fitness were associated with greater psychological distress among armed force personnel, especially among those with operational status. These findings suggest that physical fitness is not only relevant for military functions but also for mental health.